MIAMI – LA Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney, whose team won its sixth MLS Cup with the 2024 title, said Thursday that it was “devasting” to see the impact of the fires that have damaged the greater Los Angeles area this week.
“It’s just devastating to see. And you know, we want to be there to support anyone that we can, to help them through this process,” Vanney told GOAL at MLS Media Day.
Vanney said he and the Galaxy are trying to determine who in the organization have been affected by the fires, adding that a former Galaxy player lost his home. He also mentioned his family and home is safe and to his knowledge, his players are also currently unaffected. Vanney said he got a first-hand view of the fires ravaging through the city when he traveled from L.A. to Miami.
“Taking off yesterday was incredible, leaving the city and flying out of LAX and going through a layer of smoke that was really incredible,” he said. “And also being able to look out the window and see the fires on the side of the hill and in different parts of the community, it’s shocking and devastating.”
He said he hopes the Galaxy can find ways to make a positive impact for those who have been impacted by the devastation. Firefighters continue to battle to control a series of major fires that, according to the Associated Press, have killed five people, ravaged communities from the Pacific Coast to Pasadena and forced over 180,000 people to flee their homes.
“Hearts and prayers out to everybody who are who was affected, and again, hoping that they can get these things under control, and we can hopefully go from just trying to control this thing to starting to rebuild as a community, as a city,” Vanney said.